Taiwanese-Americans today expressed indignation over President Ma Ying-jeou’s accusation that seventeen former Democratic Progressive Party officials “failed to return” some 36,000 documents during the DPP administration.

On Tuesday, March 29 2011, the presidential office in Taipei accused the former officials of violating the National Archives Act and two other laws. It said that some 25,334 classified documents and 10,958 unclassified documents were “missing.”

At a press conference the next day, presidential spokesman Lo Chih-chiang stated that the case had been referred to the Control Yuan for investigation and relayed that President Ma demanded that those officials who allegedly disregarded these laws be dealt with accordingly.

FAPA President Bob Yang stated in a response that the move must be regarded as yet another attempt by the Ma government to use the Control Yuan and judicial system for political persecution, done in such a way as to appear “legal” thus avoiding criticism by foreign governments and human rights groups.

President Yang added: It is flabbergasting that the Ma government thinks it can get away with this. If any documents had been “missing” the Ma team should have noted that during the transition period in 2008. To come up with this matter three years later, when the primaries for next year’s presidential elections are underway, smacks of a political ploy and strongly suggests a dubious motive.

President Yang concluded: It is regrettable that President Ma is again usurping the Control Yuan and judicial system for his own political gain. Taiwan’s democracy is suffering yet another setback at a time when it can least afford it. Playing this type of games is detrimental to Taiwan as a free and democratic nation.